Page Two
TO YOUNG WOMEN
It is not to be wondered at that
young women should question why
scriptures have so much to say with
regard to the matter of dress and de-
portment. There is nothing wrong in
desiring to understand the reasons for
God's requirements—that is just what
He encourages His servants to do. For
years this subject was a puzzle to
me, until one day I discovered that the
Bible presented a marked contrast
between two classes of women. In
one class was the “king’s daughter,”
who 1s “all glorious within”—the “vir-
tuous woman” of Proverbs 31, the
“women professing godliness” men-
tioned in the second chapter of first
Timothy, On the other hand we have
the “strange woman’ mentioned in the
seventh chapter of Proverbs. If you
will read this chapter, and compare
it with Prov. 31:10-30; 1 Tim. 2:9, 10;
Titus 2:3-8; and 1 Peter 3:1-4, you
will see new proof of God’s love for
his handmaidens. He cares too deep-
ly for his daughters to permit them,
through ignorance, to be mistaken fo
the “strange woman.”
It is interesting to list the virtues
attributed to the admirable woman of
Proverbs 31. She is loyal, good, in-
dustrious, thrifty, diligent, capable,
judicious, charitable, prompt, neat,
and of good taste, strong and honest,
wise, kind, a good executive and dis-
ciplinarian, and one who fears God.
Let us contrast the “strange wo-
man” and the “virtuous woman.”
Their SPEECH is the first thing to
be noted—and it is just as true today
as in Solomon’s time that speech fur-
nishes strangers, very early in the
process of acquaintance, with an in-
dex of the true character. The
“strange: woman” is one who “flat-
tereth with her words”; the godly wo-
man “openeth her mouth with wis-
dom; and in her tongue is the law of
kindness.” Flattery is the enemy of
the soul. God never uses it, but He
gives reproof to those He loves; and
while it is only right that we should
give words of deserved praise, the
true servant of God will never lower
herself to the use of flattery, which
is a species of deception.
DRESS is the next basis of judg-
ment. Over, against the “attire of an
harlot” we see exhibited the “modest
apparel” that Timothy tells us about.
This should be enough to teach us
that there is really a mode of dress
which the world recognizes as belong-
ing to the strange woman. How may
Southwestern Union Record
we detect it?
be sure; it will be just the opposite
of “modest apparel’ It is the put-
ting on of apparel for the sake of the
apparel or jewel itself, instead of
thinking of clothing as a “covering”
as God intended it in the first place.
When we consider that clothing or-
iginated as a direct result of sin,
isn’t it a bit inconsistent for a pro-
fessed Christian to manifest undue
pride in what is really a badge of our
shame? Peter warns against the
“putting on of apparel” —if he lived
today who knows but that inspiration
would have made him say “the taking
off of apparel,” instead?
But what is “modest apparel”? Is
it necessary to define it more closely
than that for people of ordinary good
judgment? We know, if we are hon-
est with ourselves, just what is. mod-
est and what is immodest. A sum-
mary of the instruction given us in
the testimonies should make us more
thankful than ever for the wealth
of instruction God has placed at our
command.- They teach that we should
seek good clothing, of as good mater-
ial as we can afford, made neatly and
rnodestly, without elaborate trimming
or conspicuous style, giving due re-
gard to its healthfulness and suitabili-
ty to the use to which it is designed.
We should have something for Sab-
bath use which is not worn commonly
every day, but fine clothing worn to
church, we are told, attracts attention
from the service and fosters irrever-
cnce. We are not to attempt to ape
the styles, or to keep up with rapidly
changing styles; neither are we to
take pride in making ourselves pecu-
liar. Tf the world has a style which
is healthful, modest, plain and suita-
ble, we are not to avoid it. Today
there are plenty of modes suitable for
a woman professing godliness.
Untidiness is just as displeasing to
the Lord as too much pride. Avoid
either extreme. There is nothing
wrong in choosing modes and colors
which suit our individual types; but
we are warned against “loud” clothes,
plaids that are conspicuous, or very
bright colors. It would seem almost
unnecescary for us even to mention
these things, yet many of us can bear
testimony that we have sometimes
seen our own girls dressed in the “at-
tire of an harlot,” and have felt the
pity of it grip our hearts. If women
could only stand off and appraise
thernselves calmly, and see how ex-
tremely ugly most of them are in
sleeveless gowns and too-short skirts,
Of one thing we may
in all probability they ecouldn’t be
hired to wear such clothes.
The third contrast is the HEART,
and concerns loyalty. Of one woman
it is said she was “subtil of heart” and
betrayed her husband’s confidence; of
the other the record is, “the heart of
her husband doth safely trust in her.”
Next comes a comment on the DE-
PORTMENT, for one is “loud and
stubborn,” while the other is “meek
and quiet.” Modest behaviour and
quiet speech is truly a gift of great
value in the sight of the best element
of the world. That is why good form
demands certain standards of deport-
ment, especially in publie, from those
it acknowledges as well bred. That
is why loud talking and laughing are
out of place on the street, in any pub-
lic building, hotel, train or railway
station. ‘Those who indulge in such
actions are marked as the legitimate
prey of evil persons.
The PLACES FREQUENTED by
the two women are not the same. One’s
feet “abide not in her own house:
now is she without, now in the streets,
and lieth in wait at every corner”;
the other is characterized as a “keeper
at home.” “Keepers at home” are
more than just stay-at-homes; they
are those who actively keep the home,
and are God’s best remedy for one of
the world’s worst ills—the idle, mis-
chievous woman.
Women should keep off the streets
when they have no real business there.
When thy need to be there, their ac-
‘tions should be unobtrusive, and they
should go straight about their busi-
ness. There is far less danger of in-
viting insult when it is seen one is
strictly attending to her own affairs.
But the idle, loud, giggling, showily-
dressed, parading creature is the law-
ful prey of the man told about in Prov-
erbs 6:12, 13: “A naughty person, a
wicked man, walketh with a froward
mouth. He winketh with his eyes,
he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth
with his fingers”’—~flirtation signs, as
dlainly as they could be de-
scribed. Girls, if you are ever un-
fortunate enough to attract the at-
tention of a stranger on the street,
remember this verse gives you the
index of his character—‘“a naughty
person, .a wicked man,” It Is no
credit to you, so fly from such an ac-
quaintance.
In the DISPLAY OF AFFECTION
we are given another indication of
character. The first woman “caught”
and “kissed” .a stranger. Godly wo-
“love their
men are admonished to